Planograph co



SHEE

APPLICATION FILED NOV-12.1917.

Patented Jul 2 S H E E TS C. VOLZ.

ADJUSTABLE RAIL CLIP FOR RAILWAY DETECTOR BARS.

1,310,098. I '9. Patented July 15, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN VOLZ, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

ADJUSTABLE RAIL-CLIP FOR- RAILWAY DETECTOR-BARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

. Application filed November 12, 1917. Serial No. 201,536.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN VoLz, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Rail- Clips for Railway Detector-Bars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to detector bars employed in connection with railway switches, to prevent such switches from being inadvertently manipulated at improper times; and theprimary object of the invention is to provide a supporting device or rail clip, as these devices are commonly called, for a detector bar which is so constructed that it may be employed, when suitably adjusted, with rails of widely diflerent cross-section.

Rails of diflerent make differ considerably in their cross-sectional configuration. There is no uniformity of contour even with rails of the same weight per lineal yard. It frequently happens that ,a railroad company will employ on its tracks rails of different weight, and also rails of the same weight which may vary quite considerably in the width of flange, or in the dimensions of the ball or other part of the rail. This lack of uniformity involves considerable expense and inconvenience in the matter of applying detector bars to the switches. Guide brackets or supports for detector bars have been constructed so as to allow adjustment in one direction, but this does not meet the exigencies of the case. A detector bar has a movement which is oblique with respect to the rail. Adjustment of the bracket in one direction will obviously permit the use of the bracket on rails of different sizes only where there is a constant relation between vertical and lateral dimensions. This constant relation is usually wanting so that as a matter of practice it is necessary for a railroad tb have on hand detector bar brackets of difierent sizes for each style and weight of rail in use.

My invention provides a supporting de- .vice or guide bracket for a detector bar which is so constructed that it is capable of use on rails of all usual sizes and cross-sec tional contours.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: c

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown as applied to a rail, the rail and detector .bar appearing in broken elevation;

Fig. 2 is a view of the device taken at right angles to Fig. 1, showing the rail and bar in cross section;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the supporting bracket, detector bar and rail;

' Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 47- 1 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

The device of this invention consists, in the preferred form shown in the drawings, of a bracket member 10 for guiding and supporting the detector bar 11, a member 12 adapted to be fixed to the rail 13, a wedge block 14: for varying the angular relationship between thev bracket member and the fixed member, and a clamping member or bolt 15 for securing the bracket member to the fixed member 12.

The bracket .member is preferably constructed in accordance with Patent No. 1,229,828, to Eugene W. Vogel, for guide bracket for detector bar, patented June 12, 1917. That is to say, the upper part or head 16 of the bracket is provided with a roller 17 over which the detector bar 11 moves, the roller being formed with gudgeons 18 which are received in slots 19, 20 of the bracket.

The fixed member 12 may be secured in any desired manner to the rail'13; This member is preferably in the form of a shoe which engages one edge of the base flange of the rail and is secured thereto by bolts 21, the extremities of which remote from the shoe are bent to form hooks 22 adapted to engage the edge of the base flange opposite to the edge embraced by the shoe. The shoe or fixed member has an outwardly and downwardly inclined foot 23 formed integral with the part engaging the rail base and braced by webs 24. The upper end of the outer surface of the foot is struck on a 'curve, as indicated at 25, to provide a rocking bearing for the shank 26 of the bracket member. The wedge block 14- is interposed between the lower extremities of the shank 26 and the foot 23. The outer surface 27 of the wedge block is also preferably formed on a curve. The bearing surface 25 of the fixed member, the outer surface 27 of the wedge block, and the inner surface 28 of the bracket shank are preferably roughened or formed with teeth for the purpose of insuring permanent hold between the parts of the device when the shank of the bracket is secured to the foot of the fixed member by bolt 15. To permit longitudinal adjustment of the bracket member, the shank thereof is formed with a slot 29 through which bolt 15 extends. The nut 30 of the bolt may be provided with any suitable nut lock, such as the nut locking device 31, shown in the drawings. In order to prevent lateral displacement of the wedge block, it is formed with a tongue 32 adapted to extend into a groove 33 in the foot (Figs. 1 and 5).

A bracket so constructed can be used on a rail of any size or contour within the limits of adjustment of the device. The normal position of the bracket, it will be seen, may be varied both with respect to height of the rail and the lateral dimensions of the base flange and ball; and these adjustments are independent of each other. This adaptability of the device to rails of different cross-sectional contours is accomplished by making the bracket member adjustable in the direction of its length and also independently adjustable in respect to its angular relation with the fixed member. The latter adjustment is made by varying the position of the wedge block 14:. The bearing surface 25 of the fixed member and the bearing surface 27 of the wedge block are made curved, so that the bracket member will have a firm and reliable seat in any an gular position.

While I have shown and described my invention in the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that modifications might be made in constructional details without.

departure from the substance of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

'1 claim:

1. A supporting device for a railway detector bar adapted to have a fixed position with respect to a rail provided with means whereby the normal position of the bar may be varied both vertically and laterally, in respect to the rail, by adjustments which are independent of each other.

2. A supporting device for a railway de' tector bar comprising a member adapted to have a fixed position with respect to a rail and a bracket member for the bar which is secured to the fixed member by means permitting the position of the bar to be varied both Vertically and laterally, with respect to the rail, by adjustments independent of each other.

3. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to have a fixed position with respect to a rail and a bracket member for the bar which is secured to the fixed member by means permitting the adjustment of said bracket member in the direction of its length and also angularly with respect to the rail.

1. A supporting device for a railway detector bar adapted to have a fixed position tector bar adapted to have a fixed position with respect to a rail and provided with supporting means for the bar which is capable of adjustment in the direction of its length and also angularly with respect to the rail.

6. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail having a depending foot, a bracket member, and means for securing the bracket member to the foot which permits independent adjustments of the bar, in its normal place, both vertically and laterally with respect to the rail.

7. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail having a depending foot, a bracket member, and means for securing the bracket member to the foot which permits adjustment of the bracket member in the direction of its length and also change of its angular relation with the rail.

8. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail having a downwardly and outwardly inclined depending foot, a bracket member, and means for securing the bracket member to the foot which permits independent adjustment of the bar, in its normal place, both vertically and laterally with respect to the rail.

9. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, and means for securing said bracket member to the foot which permits the adjustment of the bracket member in the direction of its length and also with respect to its angular relation with the foot.

10. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depend ing foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, and means for securing said bracket member to the foot which permits the adjustment of the bracket member in the direction of its length and also angularly with respect to the foot, said bracket member and the hearing portion of the foot being formed with co-engaging teeth.

11. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, a wedge block adapted to be inserted between the bracket member and foot and means for clamping said bracket member to the foot.

12. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed -to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, a wedge block adapted to be inserted between the bracket member and foot, means for clamping said bracket member to the foot, and means for preventing the lateral displacement of the wedge block.

13. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, a wedge block adapted to be inserted between the bracket member and foot, and means for clamping said bracket member to the foot which permits the adjustment of the bracket member in the direction of its length.

14:- A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, a wedge block adapted to be inserted between the bracket member and foot, and means for clamping said bracket member to the foot, said wedge block and bracket member being formed with coengaging teeth.

15. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a member adapted to be fixed to the rail provided with a depending foot, a bracket member having a rocking bearing on said foot, a wedge block adapted to be inserted between the bracket member and foot, and means for clamping said bracket member to the foot, said wedge block, bracket member and foot being formed with co-engaging teeth.

16. A supporting dev1ce for a railway de tector bar comprising a bracket member for supporting the detector bar, a member adapted to be fixed to a rail and formed with a bearing for the bracket member which is struck on a curve, and means for engaging th bracket member to the fixed member which permits the adjustment of the bracket member both longitudinally and angularly.

17. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a bracket member for supporting the detector bar, a member adapted to be fixed to a rail and formed with a bearing for the bracket member which is struck on a curve, means for engaging the bracket member to the fixed member which permits the adjustment of the bracket member both longitudinally and angularly, a wedge block adapted to be interposed between the bracket member and fixed member, and means for clamping said bracket member to the fixed member and wedge.

18. A supporting device for a railway detector bar, comprising a bracket member for supporting the detector bar, a member adapted to be fixed to a rail and formed with a bearing for the bracket member which is struck on a curve, means for engaging the bracket member to the fixed member which permits the adjustment of the bracket member both longitudinally and angularly, includi1 a wedge block adapted to be interposed etween the bracket member and fixed member, and means for clamping said bracket member to the fixed member and wedge, said wedge being engaged with the fixed member in the direction of its length, but held from lateral displacement with respect thereto.

19. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a bracket member for supporting the detector bar, a member adapted to be fixed to a rail and formed with a bearing for the bracket member which is struck on a curve, means for engaging the bracket member to the fixed member which permits the adjustment of the bracket member both lon itudinally and angularly, including a wedge block adapted to be interposed between the bracket member and fixed member, and means for clamping said bracket member to the fixed member and wedge, said wedge block and bracket member being formed with co-engaging teeth.

20. A supporting device for a railway detector bar comprising a shoe adapted to be engaged with a base flange of a rail, a bolt for clamping said shoe to the rail base, an outwardly and downwardly inclined foot on the shoe, a bracket member for supporting the detector bar provided with a slotted shank, a wedge block having a tongue and grooved engagement with said foot and provided with a curved surface adapted to engage the shank of the bracket member, and a bolt extending through said slot in the shank for clamping the bracket member to the foot, said foot being provided with a curved surface against which the shank of the bracket member bears, and said surface, the curved surface of the wedge block and the inner surface of the bracket shank being formed with co-engaging teeth.

CHRISTIAN VOLZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

